Ford Falcon (Argentina)

The Argentine Ford Falcon was a large family car built by Ford Argentina from 1962 to 1991, mechanically based on the first generation American Falcon. Local production began in 1962 with imported knock down kits assembled at the La Boca factory, at first only as a sedan with a 170 cubic inch six cylinder engine. The Falcon Rural station wagon followed in late 1967 and a Ranchero pickup in 1973. The body stayed the same through six restylings and parts were about 98 percent local by the end, with 494,209 sold in all. It became the best seller in Argentina in 1965, was common as a taxi and police car, and is still raced in the Turismo Carretera. Its use by paramilitary groups and the secret police during the Dirty War gave it a darker association.